Incline fire district votes to increase property tax rate

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INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Before voting to up property tax rates 16 percent for the coming fiscal year, several North Lake Tahoe Fire Protection District board members on Wednesday said they felt the matter was out of their hands.

“Reluctantly, I’ll support it,” said Director Wayne Fischer. “Washoe County has put us in a difficult situation.”

According to district staff, property tax revenue for 2011-12 was $7,341,534. The 2012-13 tax rate approved Wednesday of .6414 per $100 of assessed value — up from .5525 — will add an estimated $454,377 to the district’s bottom line.

“How this increase will affect individual taxpayers, I can’t answer truthfully,” said Sharon Cary, business manager for the district. “It will be done on a parcel-by-parcel basis.”

Last year, the board opted to not vote in a property tax increase.

The increase this year, staff said, is an attempt to patch a hole in the district’s budget that opened after 2011’s Nevada Supreme Court decision forced Washoe County to refund $43 million in over-collected property taxes funds and interest to Incline property owners.

According to previous reports, of the entire $6.5 million for which NLTFPD is responsible in paying back into the refund, it has only saved about half. In order for the remaining cash to be included, the county is withholding it by not releasing the money to the district like it would in other fiscal years.

The district is attempting to negotiate a settlement with the county, but NLTFPD Counsel Geno Menchetti said the county is not cooperating, despite instruction from the Supreme Court that it do so.

“We want to get out from underneath these interest payments we got dragged into through no making of our own,” said Director Dale Smith.

The Incline community could see substandard fire and emergency services without the money, the fire district warned in previous Bonanza reports.